This invention relates generally to asset funding, and more particularly, to automated identification of assets subject to transactions and automated offerings of financing in connection with such transactions.
Assets such as aircraft, locomotives, rail cars, and barges often are sold, leased or financed many times over the course of their useful lives. When such assets are sold, the purchaser often secures financing. More specifically, the purchaser typically identifies a number of financing sources and then selects one financing source for the transaction. The seller also may work with financing sources and explain to prospective purchasers that financing from a particular source is available for the transaction.
Financing sources typically market their services through various media. The marketing efforts also may be directed to both regular sellers and purchasers of specific types of assets. In addition, these financing entities also may search publications for information relating to assets being offered for sale. The known techniques for identifying sellers of assets as well as identifying assets being offered for sale are manually intensive and requires resources and time.
In addition, once a prospective customer for a financing product has been identified, i.e., a seller of an asset, an individual from the financing entity marketing operation may contact the prospective seller, explain the various financing products available, and work with the prospective seller towards closing the deal with the purchaser. Of course, numerous attempts may be required in order to make such contact, and once contact is made, it may require several conversations before an applicable financing product is identified and offered to the prospective purchaser.
In one aspect, a method for operating a computer to execute a search to identify potential transactions that meet pre-defined criteria, generate an offering for at least one of the identified potential transactions, and transmit the offering to a party for the potential transaction is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the search is automated and performed on-line via a wide area network such as the Internet. The search is automated in that once a user enters search criteria, the search is performed in accordance with a defined frequency and without requiring user intervention. Once search results are found, then an offering is generated and transmitted to a potential customer. Depending on the type of the transaction, a customer may be identified either as a buyer or a seller.
In another aspect, a database comprising data corresponding searches to be performed, and data corresponding to offerings generated utilizing search results from the performed searches, is described. The search criteria and search results are stored in the database. Once search results are found, then the data stored in the database is utilized to generate an offering that is then transmitted to a potential customer. Data related to the offering also is stored in the database.
In yet another aspect, a system for searching and generating offerings is described. In an exemplary embodiment, the system includes a database and a server coupled to the database. The database includes data corresponding searches to be performed and data corresponding to offerings generated utilizing search results from the performed searches. The server is configured to execute a search to identify potential transactions that meet pre-defined criteria, generate an offering for at least one of the identified potential transactions, and transmit the offering to a party to the potential transaction.